The present invention is related to prosthetic heart valve replacement, and more particularly to an adjustable annuloplasty ring.
During a mitral or a tricuspid valve repair, an adjustable annuloplasty ring may be used to repair the native valve annulus of a patient by returning that annulus to its natural anatomical shape or at least general size. An adjustment suture may be used to adjust the circumferential size of the annuloplasty ring so as to customize the annuloplasty ring to the particular, desired, native valve annulus size. By pulling on one or both ends of the adjustment suture, for example, the circumferential size of the annuloplasty ring may be reduced. By releasing one or both ends of the adjustment suture, the circumferential size of the annuloplasty ring may be increased.
Despite the various improvements that have been made to annuloplasty rings, conventional annuloplasty rings suffer from some shortcomings. There therefore is a need for further improvements to devices and methods regarding adjustable annuloplasty rings.